Fast Car
by eloquences
Summary: Eli's got a fast car and Clare's got a plan. With just a little bit of money, they finally see what it means to be living.
1. I Won't Let You Bring Me Down

**A/N: **To any of you that are reading my other stories, I know you must hate me right now for not updating. But I'm trying. Writer's block has got me for those stories, but I think I'm overcoming it with this. I just HAD to write this; I couldn't get it out of my head.

Anyways, I hope you all enjoy. This story was inspired by the song Fast Car by Tracy Chapman. I suggest all of you listen to it at least once. And if you like it, then put that sucker on repeat; it'll make this story a lot better. :)

And if you do like it, please leave a review telling me so and if I should continue or not. :)

Disclaimer: I don't own Degrassi, nor do I own the song that inspired this fic.

P.s. I didn't re-read it, so please ignore any mistakes. Plus, it's almost 2am where I am, so give me some credit, haha. I'll fix it later, if needed.

* * *

**Fast Car **

Chapter one

"_You see my old man's got a problem,  
He lives with the bottle that's the way it is,  
He says his body's too old for working,  
I say his body's too young to look like his,  
My mama went off and left him,  
She wanted more from life than he could give,  
I said somebody's got to take care of him,  
So I quit school and that's what I did."_

* * *

_**Clare's POV**_

"Clare!"

Casting a glance behind me to my bedroom door, I clutched the wrinkled up bills in my hand. Before I could finish counting, my dad's rough voice boomed through the house, and I huffed when I lost track.

"Yeah dad?" I called back, trying my hardest to hide the annoyance in my voice. I quickly wrapped an elastic band around the pile of bills before tucking it back into the tin box and pushing it back under my bed. When I realized my dad hadn't answered, I rolled my eyes and got up from the floor.

"Yes?" I asked once I reached the living room.

He looked up at me from his place on the couch, taking his glassy eyed off of the TV long enough to say, "We need more groceries," He then turned back to the TV and brought the bottle of whiskey he had in his hand up to his lips, taking a swing.

"Why can't you go get them?" I asked stubbornly.

He looked at me, "Because I asked _you_ to."

"Dad, it's nearly 11 o'clock. The stores going to be closing soon," I replied.

He took another swig from the bottle, "Well I guess you better hurry up then."

Closing my eyes to keep my temper in tact, I pulled out my phone and swiftly walked into the kitchen as I dialled the number to the only person I knew who would be willing to give me a ride at this hour.

"Hello?"

"Hey, look I know it's late but I was wondering if you could do me a favour?" I asked as I looked at the fridge for the grocery list. Of course the only thing written on it was _beer_ in my dad's sloppy writing.

"Is this a booty call?"

I paused for a moment as my face twisted into a goofy smile, despite the circumstances. I let out a small laugh, "No… I need a ride to the grocery store."

"A public place? You little devil."

"Eli! I'm serious," I said as I looked through the fridge and cupboards, figuring out what to put on the list.

He laughed, "Okay, okay, I'm done. I'll be there in ten."

"Thank you," I said before we hung up.

* * *

Driving to the store took a lot longer than I would have liked it to. Although, watching Eli from the passenger seat as the wind swept through his dark, silky hair made it worth it. The way he let his left hand rest against the windowsill as his right was placed on the steering wheel made me smile. He looked so carefree, and I loved these kinds of moments, because they meant that he was him. It meant he didn't have a million thoughts running through his head and making him aggravated and restless. It meant he was having a good day, and I loved those day's.

Even though he has days when he's down and not in his rightful mind, I'm always there by his side. And everyday I make sure he knows this. Because the worst possible feeling is feeling like you're alone, and he doesn't need that added to his plate.

When Eli cast a glance my way, his eyebrows were drawn together as he asked, "What?"

I smiled at him. He looked back out the windshield, a confused expression still taking over his beautiful features. He cast another glance my way, obviously wanting an answer, and I said, "I love you."

Eli's face brightened as his lips curled up into a grin. He switched hands and placed his left on the steering wheel while his right reached out towards me. I slid over to the middle and let him take my hand in his. We pulled into the store's parking lot and he swiftly parked before turning to look at me. "I love you, too."

It was my turn to grin as he lifted my hand up to his lips and kissed it softly. We finally got out of the car and made our way inside the store.

…

"This is going to take forever," I huffed as I looked through the list. Eli looked over my shoulder and at the list. I watched his lips curve as he took the list from me and ripped it in half, splitting the items. He handed me half of the list as he kept the other.

"Let's race. The first one to finish getting all of the items on their list gets to make a demand, and no matter what it is the other has to comply. Deal?" Eli asked with a raised eyebrow.

I giggled, "Deal."

He grinned and, before I could say more, ran off to get the items on his half of the list. I shook my head at how childish he could be, but quickly began to get the items on my half.

…

I had one last item on my list, which was milk, and as I was making my way over to the cold section I noticed Eli at the other end of the store. He grinned at me and made it quite clear that he had finished by the victory dance he began to do. I pouted at him and stuck out my bottom lip, and he stopped dancing and mimicked me. I grinned wide and he did the same, making me laugh. I turned to grab the milk and made my way over to him, though he met me half way.

As we made our way to the checkout, I asked, "So, what is your demand?"

He smirked at me with a wicked look in his eyes, and I suddenly regretted agreeing to his little game. "You'll find out soon enough."

As we stood in line, I frowned at him and gave him the puppy dog eyes. Eli rolled his eyes before placing his hand on my face and pushing me away slightly. I laughed as I pushed his hand away before I realized it was our turn. The lady scanned through our items, and as I reached into my pocket to grab the money to pay, I turned back and saw that Eli was already handing the lady the amount that was due. I watched curiously as he grabbed the bags and thanked the lady before making his way out of the store, me following in suit.

"You didn't have to do that," I said as I caught up to him. We made it to Morty and he threw the bags in the back.

"I know," he answered.

I held out my hand to him, trying to give him the money that was supposed to have paid for the groceries. "Eli, these groceries are for my dad. You really didn't have to do that. Please, take this-"

"Clare stop," he cut me off as he stood back up and closed the back doors. "I don't get to buy you nice things because you insist that it's a stupid way to show my love for you, but I want to do something, even if it means buying your dad's groceries." Eli explained, but I kept my hand held out. He stepped closer to me and placed his hand over mine. "Clare, I know you're trying to save up money so keep this. You're dad will never know."

He pushed my hand back towards me and placed a kiss on my forehead before walking to the driver's side. I stayed where I was for a minute and let out a deep breath as I placed the money in my pocket before making my way back to the passenger side and climbing inside the car.

The ride was quiet. I wanted to speak up and tell him I wasn't mad, because the look on his face told me that he thought otherwise, but I couldn't find my voice. Honestly, I didn't know what to say. But when we pulled up to my place and just sat there, I realized how I could start a conversation.

"So, are you going to tell me your demand?" I asked softly and looked over at him.

He looked at me and smirked shyly. "Can I get a kiss?"

"That's not much of a demand," I teased.

He raised his eyebrows, "Fine. Give me a kiss."

I cracked a grin before I unbuckled myself and slid over to him. Placing my hand on his cheek, I smiled at him before pulling his face to mine and placing my lips over his. It was soft and gentle. His hand reached up to cup my neck as he kissed me slowly. Eli pulled away and smirked at me, and I knew he thought that was it when he pulled himself from my grasp and looked out the windshield. He was never one to push our intimate moments; he respected me too much. A lot of the time it was nice, but there are moments when I wish he would just man up and take control every once and a while or push just a little bit, just to see how far I would. But I knew he would never push.

But that didn't mean I wouldn't.

I grabbed his chin in my hand firmly before turning his head to me, pressing my lips to his once again. I could tell he was surprised by my action, but fortunately, he kissed me back. Wanting to take it up a notch, I kissed him harder and moved so I was facing him, my legs finding their way around his waist. He moved his body to align it with mine, and slowly laid me down on the seat. I grinned and pried his lips open with my own, letting my tongue find his. My hands gripped his jacket to pull him closer as his hands roamed my waist, but it wasn't enough for me.

Pulling away, I rushed to say, "Take off your jacket."

He paused for a moment and tilted his head, "What?"

"Your jacket, take it off," I repeated.

"Clare, we're in your driveway…"

"I don't care, Eli. Take off the goddamn jacket!"

He raised his eyebrows and smirked, "So this is a booty call?"

I grinned and placed my hands on either sides of his face, pulling him back down to me, "Shut up and kiss me."

Following my demand, I helped him shake off his jacket, pushing it to the floor of the hearse. I kissed him hungrily, my hands roaming through his hair, and moaned softly; he tasted like Coca Cola. Trailing one of my hands south, I finally reached the edge of his t-shirt and slid my hand beneath the fabric and touched his warm skin. This wasn't new to either off us; we had plenty of make-out sessions much like this one, but most of them took place at his place, either on his bed or couch. Never had it occurred in his car, and it made me wonder why. The feeling of being cramped in the front seat and being forced to hold each other close like this made me want to have every moment like this one spent in here. And hearing Eli groan softly as I pulled him closer to me while biting his bottom lip had me wishing that I didn't have to return to the place I call home.

Removing his lips from mine, Eli placed his right hand on my waist and his other on the back of my thigh as his lips made their way to my neck. My breathing was ragged and uneven as my eyelid fluttered shut, my body embracing the way Eli was making me feel. His lips sucked softly on my flesh as his hand trailed up my thigh and closer to my bottom, but I paid no attention. My hands were too busy palming his back. And when his teeth nibbled on the skin of my neck, my fingernails glided down his back as I arched into him. And suddenly, I felt his hand grab my ass, and I let out a shocked gasp. Eli retracted from me, removing himself completely as he sprang up into a sitting position.

"Shit, I'm sorry. I'm such an idiot. I'm so, so sorry, Clare. I should've stopped. I-"

"Stop, stop," I cut him off from his rambling as I sat up also, placing my finger on his plump lips. "Don't be sorry."

His face twisted in confusion slightly, though he kept quiet. We sat in silence as we tried to catch our breathing, and he avoided eye contact with me.

"I've thought about it, you know," I said softly, hoping he would look at me. He did.

His eyes held curiosity and he tilted his held slightly as he asked, "About what?"

"Sex," I replied, watching his eyes widen. "With you."

He closed his eyes. "I told you I'm okay with waiting," he said softly as he moved to rest his back against the driver side door.

"Yeah well, I think we've waited long enough," I said as I moved so I was sitting in his lap, my legs on either side of his waist.

Eli opened his eyes and peered at me, shock evident on his face. "Here and now?"

A laughed ripped through my throat as I noticed the bewilderment look on his face. I shook my head, "No, of course not. It may not even be tomorrow or the next day or the day after that, but I'm just letting you know that I am ready."

For a moment he sat there with a blank expression on his face, and I chewed my bottom lip, wondering if he even wanted to have sex with me. I sat back slightly, pulling away from him. Maybe he didn't want to.

But suddenly, his lips perked up and he grinned at me, pulling me to him. He wrapped his arms around me and held me to him, placing millions of kisses all over my face. I giggled and pushed at his chest, trying to pull away from him. H finally stopped and just held me to him as I rested my head against his chest.

"I'd hate to ruin this _wonderful_ moment," Eli spoke up. "But if you don't go inside now, you're dad might rip me to pieces."

I looked at the time on my phone and cursed. I quickly got up and fixed myself before grabbing all of my things and opening the door. Before I stepped out, Eli grabbed my arm and whispered in my ear, "Send me nudes."

I scoffed and punched him in the arm, "You're such a pig."

He laughed as he watched me get out. Grabbing all of the groceries, I finally made my way to the front door.

"I'm serious!" Eli yelled out from behind me. I turned around and gave him the finger, earning a goofy grin from him in return. "Awh, I love you, too, baby."

* * *

_**A week later**_

Sighing to myself, I made my way around the room with a garbage bag as I picked up the scattered beer cans and the empty vodka bottles. Daddy dearest was passed out on the couch, as usual, and I decided I had had enough of this. I was tired of cleaning up after him. I was tired of watching him drink away his sorrows. I was tired of taking care of him. I was emotionally drained. I was exhausted.

He was the reason that I had left school. I couldn't just let him drink himself to death. Someone had to take care of him, and I was that someone. I had tried to finish school online, but that didn't work. Eli even tried helping me; he'd bring over his text books and we had a few study dates, but between work and taking care of my dad, there was barely any time for it. So eventually, I gave up.

But looking at the mess I call my father I realized that it was a mistake.

And so, I walked into the kitchen and opened his liquor cabinet. I began to pull out every last bottle and dump out every last drop into the sink, watching it circle the drain before entering the pipe. After that was done, I made my way to the fridge and grabbed all of the beer cans before I did what I had done with the rest of the poison.

And when my dad had woken up, I was sitting at the kitchen table eating a bowl of soup. I had poured him a bowl, but he didn't even look at it. Instead, he made his way over to the fridge. I took a spoonful of the soup as I watched him with a blank face. I flinched when he slammed the fridge door shut after rummaging through it, after realizing his precious alcohol was gone.

"Where's my beer, Clare?" He asked firmly.

I shrugged and he glared at me. He turned to look at his cabinet and his eyes widened. He stormed over to it and opened the doors forcefully. Noticing every bottle was gone, he slammed the doors shut and I cringed when the doors popped back open from the force. He spun around and I placed my spoon down when I noticed his face was red.

"Where the fuck is everything?" He screamed.

I placed my elbows on the table before I pointed towards the sink, giving him a little smirk.

He looked at the sink in horror before looking back at me. He walked over and slammed his fists down on the table. "Who the hell do you think you are?"

"I'm your daughter. You know, the girl who has been putting up with your shit for the past three years? Yeah, that's me. And I'm sick and tired of having to pick up after you. I'm done. And so are you."

Suddenly, his hands gripped the edge of the table and he flipped it, and I ducked. I looked at the table that now lay on its side with shock. Turning to look at him again, I stood up from the chair. "You need help."

And the unexpected happened. There was a loud sound that echoed through the house as a stinging pain shot through my cheek, my head being forced to the side.

"No. what I need is a goddamn drink!" he yelled.

I looked up at him with shock, my hand coming up to touch my cheek. I knew I would sart crying soon, but I was too shocked to start now. "Get help. I only stuck with you because I didn't want you to become this," I waved my hand in a gesture that told him I meant the mess he already was, "but that obviously didn't work. You're too stubborn to realize that you're drinking your life away. But I don't have the power to be your saviour, dad. I'm done."

I swiftly made my way upstairs and pulled out my suitcase form under my bed. I started throwing everything that I needed into it, most of my clothing, my bathroom necessities, a few personal belongings and, last but not least, the money that I had been saving since I had quit school. I zipped it up and stormed downstairs and to the front door. Just as I reached the door, my dad spoke up.

"If you leave, don't ever come back," he said firmly.

I grinded my teeth, "Don't worry, I won't." I was done with his shit and I didn't plan on sticking around anymore to watch him go even deeper than he already was. "No wonder mom left you."

And with that, I stormed out of the house and slammed the door behind me.

I stood on the front step and pulled out my phone. I quickly dialled Eli's number and waited impatiently for him to pick up.

"Is this another booty call, because you know Sunday's are family dinner nights," I could hear the smirk in his voice and I frowned, feeling bad. I had forgotten that tonight he would be at his parents' place.

But I opened my mouth and breathed shakily, "I need you."

…

Before I knew it, I saw Morty pull up into the driveway and I quickly grabbed my suitcase before I made my way over to him. I watched Eli jump out of the hearse and walk over to me, but I brushed passed him and threw my bag into the back, ignoring his questions. I climbed into the passenger side and waited for him to get in also. Once he did, he looked at me and asked what had happened. I ignored him and started straight ahead.

"Drive."

And so he did.


	2. These Roads Keep Leading Me To You

**A/N: **Thank you to every one who read, added to your favourites and followed this story. I'm so glad that you all like this so far. This chapter wasn't the best, and I'm sorry for that. But this is just the beginning. I hope you enjoy it anyways. :)

_**ZebraDolphin:**_ You, my dear, are amazing. Not only because you know this song, but because you were listening to it as you found this story. It was destiny, I tell you. ;) I am so glad you liked the first chapter, and everything you said in your review means a lot to me. Thank you.

_**DegrassiLover2010:**_ Thank you! And actually no, I didn't know that, but I suddenly love Aislinn Paul a lot more now, haha. Thank you for that fun fact. :)

_**ilovetaylorswift13:**_ Thank you! I'm glad you liked the first chapter. And her mom left because her father was an alcoholic, and still is. Stupid Randal. :P

_**Mirnada:**_ Thank you so much. You have no idea how much what you said means to me. *heart*

* * *

**Fast Car **

Chapter Two

"_You got a fast car,  
But is it fast enough so we can fly away,  
We gotta make a decision,  
We leave tonight or live and die this way,"_

* * *

_**Clare's POV**_

We drove around for a few hours, nothing but silence being shared between us. Eli knew I needed space, but he also knew that I needed him as well. So he stayed with me and kept his mouth shut. But when we finally made it to an empty parking lot, I glanced at the clock. It was nearly midnight, and outside was as dark as Eli's leather jacket. I knew I would have to answer some questions now.

"Clare, what happened?" he asked softly.

I wanted to cry, but nothing was coming out. I sighed and ran a hand through my hair, moving it from my face. Suddenly, I heard his seatbelt click and he slid over, his hand grabbing my face, tilting it to the side.

"What is this?" his voice was sharp as he lightly trailed his finger across my cheek. I pulled my head out of his hands before looking in the side mirror, noticing a small bruise forming on my cheek from when my dad had slapped me. "Did he hit you?" Eli asked through clenched teeth.

I sat back in my seat and stared at the dashboard. And I couldn't hold it in anymore. I let the angry tears fall as a shrill scream ripped through my throat, my fists pounding against the dashboard. I thrashed around as I pounded all of my anger onto the innocent hearse. Eli grabbed my wrists and tried to stop me, but I kept pounding my fists, not caring about what I was hitting, as long as I was hitting _something_.

"Clare! Hit _me_! Take it out on _me_!" Eli turned me so I was facing him and I had no control; I started pounding on his chest as I screamed out curse words. My head was pounding agonizingly hard from all of the crying, but I didn't stop. Eli wrapped his arms around me, even though I tried pushing him away, flopping around like a fish out of water. He tightened his hold on me and didn't let go, and I finally broke down, letting myself fall into Eli's warm embrace. I cried harder and he only held me tighter, whispering soothing words into my ears.

After I calmed down a bit, he pulled back hesitantly and looked at me, his fingers pushing a few curls behind my ear.

"What happened?" his voice was barely above a whisper, and he looked at me with fear in his eyes, like he was afraid of the answer.

But, I told him anyways. I told him what I had done, what my dad had done, and that I had left and how I wasn't going back. By the time I was done I could see the thin layer of tears in his eyes and I watched his lip quiver; the sight broke my heart. He covered his face with his hands and said, "I can't believe he hit you," he took in a breath before he looked up and out the windshield. "I'm going to kill him."

I quickly grabbed his face and made him look at me, "No, Eli. Don't do anything stupid. I'm done with him. I just want to spend tonight with you and get my mind off of everything. Please," I pleaded, "let's just go for a drive, okay?"

He closed his eyes and breathed through his nose – something he did when he was frustrated – but nodded nonetheless.

"You're coming to live with me," Eli said sternly as he began to drive. My eyes darted to his hands as he clenched the steering wheel so tightly that his knuckles turned white. I knew he wasn't up for an argument, and honestly I didn't want to object to his offer, especially not for the second time. I reached over and placed my hand on his leg.

"Okay," I said softly.

We made it to a wide open field, and he parked Morty in the middle of it. We climbed up on the hood and lay there, staring up at the night sky, hand in hand. After I watched the stars for a bit, I got sick of the silence. I looked over at Eli and noticed he looked deep in thought. I bit my lip, but I knew I had to ask.

"What are you thinking about?" I asked softly.

Eli placed his free arm behind his head, propping up one of his legs. "The future," he paused. "_Our_ future."

I smiled softly and turned on my side, placing my free hand on his chest. "What about our future?"

He smirked, "Just trying to picture where we'll be in five years."

Smiling, I rested my chin on his chest, my fingers tracing lazy designs on it as well. "Where do you see us in five years?"

"Hopefully still together," he let out a soft chuckle before he grew serious again. "With our own place… possibly married?" I sat up and stared down at him. He looked at me with cautiousness as he bit his lip, "What? Too soon?"

I smiled and shook my head, "We've been together for four years, Eli. It's definitely not too soon."

"Ah, the teenage years," he smiled. "I kind of miss those days."

"You mean the day's when you couldn't even get to second base with me?" I raised an eyebrow in a teasing manor.

His face twisted in disappointment, "If you haven't realized, I haven't necessarily upgraded much since then." I opened my mouth to protest and remind him of the plenty of times he had touched and groped my boobs during many of our make out sessions, though he held up a hand. "I mean below the belt."

I frowned, "I told you I was ready, Eli."

Eli sighed and sat up. "That's not what I mean. I'm just saying that if you are ready to go all the way, then you should at least be comfortable with me going anywhere near your… downstairs."

I gave him a look, "My downstairs? Seriously?"

"See! This is what I mean! We're not even comfortable with saying anything remotely dirty," he explained. I hated to admit it, but he was right.

"Are you suggesting we play the penis game?" I asked with a goofy grin as I wiggled my eyebrows.

Eli barked out a laugh, "You're on."

I smiled and he sat up into a sitting position, facing me. I tried not to laugh as I whispered, "Penis,"

He snorted and said, "Penis," a little louder than I had.

"Penis,"

"Penis,"

"Penis,"

I giggled, "Penis."

He shook his head, saying quite loudly, "Penis."

I grinned, "PENIS!"

Eli started laughing uncontrollably, and I couldn't help but join him. We finally calmed down from our laughing fit, and I cleared my throat. "Okay, I win, now it's your turn to say something you feel weird saying."

Eli looked at me through his eye lashes. He whispered, "Panties."

I gave him a look and slapped his shoulder, "That doesn't count. You always say panties."

Eli looked at me, "Do we really have to do this right now?"

I smiled softly. Shaking my head, I moved closer to him and wrapped my arms around his neck. Feeling his hands wrap around my waist and pull me into his lap, I stared into his eyes and wondered how I was so lucky. How I had managed to find a guy like Eli at sixteen and still be with him four years later was something I will never understand. Feeling this much love for someone was insane. And as he nuzzled his head into my neck, I let out a lovesick sigh. He meant everything to me but I didn't tell him very often. I want him to know just how much I love him. I had been working on a plan for about a year now. He had no idea, but with the incident that had previously happened earlier today and the conversation we had had just a few minutes prior had given me a reason to bring it up.

"Do you love me?" I asked bluntly, though I knew the answer.

Eli pulled back slightly and looked at me oddly, "What kind of question is that? You know I-"

"Just answer the question."

He sighed and licked his lips. His hands found my cheeks and he looked deep into my eyes, a fire burning inside my soul as he did so. "Yes… more than anything."

I grinned and, having Eli's hands pressed to my cheeks so firmly, I must have looked really silly. He chuckled softly, which confirmed my theory.

"Then run away with me," I said softly.

His face dropped, along with my heart.

"What?"

I grabbed his hands and pulled them from my face, holding them in my own. I looked into his eyes, "Eli, what happened between my dad and I was the last straw, and it had made this decision a lot easier for me, but I have been thinking about this for a while. I want to get away, and I'd like it if you came with me. You have Morty and I saved up quite a bit of money, enough to get us somewhere and start us out. But we can both get jobs and finally see what it means to be with each other."

Eli stayed silent as he stared into my eyes, confusion and hesitation still evident on his face. I sighed, "Look, Eli, a few months ago you had asked me to move in with you, remember? And I wish I had taken you up on that offer, but because of my dad I turned you down. But my dad isn't in the picture anymore. It's just you and me. We could take Morty and just drive."

"Clare," Eli sighed. "Where do you think we would go?"

"I don't care where! I just can't stay here anymore. I'm sick of this town and the people in it. I'm sick of wasting my life away. I'm twenty years old and I haven't even finished school or had sex or got drunk… I haven't even been to a party, Eli. Do you know how lame that makes me?"

"Clare, you can't make this big decision just because you haven't gone to a party."

I rolled my eyes, "That's not the _point_, Eli. I want to get out of here. I don't care where; any place is better than here. We don't have to go very far; we can still come back and see your parents if you want," I paused and he looked up at the sky as he let out a breath of air. "I want to find out who I am, and I want to have you by my side when I do."

Realizing that he won't look at me, I let go of his hands and removed myself from him. I slid off of the hood of Morty and stood beside him instead. I crossed my arms and waited for a reply from Eli. Honestly, I thought he would jump at the idea of running away with me. I had this whole thing planned out in my head and I realized that it was my own fault for setting my hopes up to high.

"Clare," Eli finally spoke up. "I can't just up and leave." Here comes the rejection. "I'm going to have to give my landlord and boss a two weeks notice." My eyes widened and I swiftly turned around and saw he was off of Morty and walking towards me. I breathed shakily as he breathed slowly, smiling softly, "Plus I'm going to have to break the news to CeCe and Bullfrog that I won't be able to make Sunday family dinner's anymore."

He stopped and stood in front of me, placing his hands in the back pockets of his jeans. I smiled wide and wrapped my arms around his neck and jumped up to wrap my legs around his waist. He laughed as I hugged the life out of him, pulling back to place kisses all over his face. I hugged him even tighter, never wanting to let go. His arms wrapped around me as he held me close, burying his face in my neck. I have never been happier than I was at this very moment. My heart was beating at an erratic rate, and I wouldn't be surprised if it jumped out of my chest form how happy I was. Images of driving away with Eli and never looking back flashed through my mind and I wondered why I hadn't brought this up sooner.

I pulled back from our embrace to press my lips to his. I felt him grin against my lips before he kissed me back. I put as much passion, need, and love I could muster into that kiss, making sure he knew just how much this meant to me. How much _he_ meant to me.

"I love you, Eli," I breathed as I pulled back, pressing our foreheads together. "_So_ much."

"You're my world, Clare," he replied. "I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you."

* * *

_**Two weeks later**_

"You two got everything?" CeCe asked as Eli closed the back doors to Morty after we finished putting our belongings in the back. Eli turned to look at his mom and dad with a grin and nodded. CeCe wrapped her arms around him, rocking him back and forth. Eli chuckled softly and hugged her back. "I'm going to miss you so much, baby boy."

"Mom, we will be coming back to visit, remember?" Eli explained. I watched their mother and son moment, and suddenly felt very guilty. I'm the reason Eli is leaving, and by the look on his parent's faces, they weren't very happy to see him go.

"Oh I know, I know. But it's not the same." She pulled back and looked at him, pinching his cheeks.

"Mom," Eli groaned out, shaking his head from her hands. I smiled softly and she pulled away to let Bullfrog give him a man hug and a pat on the back.

"I'll miss you, boy." Bullfrog's gruff voice said.

"I'll miss you, too, dad." Eli said, and I smiled. That was the first time I had heard Eli call him dad.

CeCe turned to me and pulled me into a warm, tight hug. I hugged her back just as tight. Throughout the years I had been dating Eli, CeCe and Bullfrog had become a second family to me, and I was now realizing just how much I'm going to miss them.

"You take care of him, okay?" CeCe whispered into my ear. I closed my eyes.

I smiled and nodded, "I will."

CeCe pulled back and Bullfrog stepped forward.

"Come here, kiddo," he said before pulling me into a hug. I giggled and returned it.

Once all of the goodbye's had been exchanged, Eli and I climbed into Morty started him up. I looked back at CeCe and Bullfrog to see them waving and smiling; maybe I was over thinking this too much. It was time to move on with our lives.

Eli turned to me and smiled nervously, "You ready?"

"Are you?" I asked, my eyes staring straight ahead.

Eli clicked his tongue. "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous about this whole idea, but yes… I'm ready."

I let out a shaky breath and leaned over to kiss him softly. Pulling back, I nodded, "Yeah, I'm ready."

And he began driving, leading us to God only knows where.


	3. Warm Me Up Beneath The Sheets, Babe

**A/N: **Thank you so much for the reviews. It mean's a lot to me that you guys are enjoying this. :)

**Warning:** This story is rated M for a reason. There will be plenty of sexual content, and course language, and alcohol. If you are not mature enough to handle any of these things, then I suggest you either skip the part when it comes, or find a more appropriate story. But other then that… enjoy. ;)

* * *

**Fast Car **

Chapter Three

"_I remember we were driving driving in your car,  
The speed so fast I felt like I was drunk,  
City lights lay out before us,  
And your arm felt nice wrapped 'round my shoulder,  
And I had a feeling that I belonged,  
And I had a feeling I could be someone, be someone, be someone,"_

* * *

_**Clare's POV**_

"It's so _warm_ in here," I breathed as I fanned myself with my hand.

"I apologize for being so incredibly hot," Eli teased. Though he kept his eyes on the road, I watched as his lips curled up into his signature smirk. Rolling my eyes, I reached over and turned on the air conditioning. Eli shot me a look before he reached over to turn the air conditioning off. "If it's too hot just roll down your window," he explained as he rolled his down.

I reached over to poke him in the side, smiling as he flinched. "You never let me have any fun."

He scoffed, "Oh yeah, cause dropping everything and going on a road trip with you isn't fun."

I smiled and raised a brow, "Are you saying that you're having fun?"

Eli paused. I grinned. He sighed, defeated, "Okay, so the past five hours haven't been _so_ bad…"

My eyes darted to the glowing numbers on the clock that read the time. "It's already been five hours?"

Huh. Time sure does fly.

"Yeah, and I'm getting hungry. The next town we pass we're getting something to eat," Eli grumbled as he rubbed his stomach with a look of displeasure on his face.

I nodded before resting my head on the head rest and looking out the open window, feeling the cool breeze sweep across my face and through my hair. Closing my eyes, I let the lyrics from the song that Eli had chosen flow through my ears as it played loudly. I had gotten used to Eli's kind of music throughout the years that we have been dating, and vice versa. Though we rarely ever agreed on a song, we put up with each other's music taste. And for the past five hours I had been listening to his choice of songs. There were a few songs that I didn't mind and actually liked, but I wanted to listen to something of mine.

Wrenching my head to the side I opened my eyes and looked at Eli. His thumbs were drumming against the steering wheel to the beat of an unfamiliar song.

"Eli," I spoke over the music. He reached over to turn the music down before casting a glance my way, his eyebrow raised. "Can I put on my iPod now?"

He looked sceptical as he kept his eyes on the road, and I watched him press his lips into a thin line. I knew he wasn't a big fan of my music, but I figured I deserve it since I sat through his music for five hours. I watched as he reached over and unplugged his iPod, throwing it next to him on the seat. He cast a glance my way and I smiled before I searched for my iPod in my purse. I found it and quickly plugged it in. Selecting a playlist containing the songs I was currently obsessed with, I sat back and grinned to myself.

'_Hello'_ by Karmin began to play through the speakers, and I stuck my tongue out at Eli when he groaned in annoyance. Ignoring the fact that I can't rap, I sang along with the song anyways. Eli placed his arm on the windowsill and rested his head against his hand, his other placed firmly on the steering wheel.

"_You gon' love me like you ain't loved nobody before,_" I sang aloud and off tune, looking towards Eli. He looked at me and rolled his eyes playfully before turning his attention back to the road.

"I don't understand how you can listen to this! All she says is '_hello'_," Eli said loudly in order to be heard over the music.

I reached over and turned the music down a bit, rolling my eyes in the prosess. "I put up with your music for five hours, so can we at least get through a playlist of mine without you critisizing the songs I like?"

Eli shifted in his seat and said nothing. He gave me a look as if to apologize and I leaned over to kiss his cheek quickly before retuning to my original spot to enjoy the last few seconds of the song. I leaned my head back as I placed my arm out the window, letting it flow about like a snake, following the beat of the song.

When the next song started to play, I let out a gasp before I turned to look at Eli with a grin. He looked at me and pinned his eyebrows together, but kept his mouth shut. Reaching over, I cranked the volume up until I could feel the bass in my chest. I grinned widley as I moved my head and body to the beat of the music.

When the chorus hit I started singing as loud as I could, ignoring the weird looks I was recieving from the man beside me.

And as the build up to the song began, I whipped my hair around and threw my hands up in the air before screaming my favorite part of the song.

"_Give me your hand_!"

I looked over at Eli once I heard his beautiful laugh fill up the cramped space of the hearse. I smiled and kept dancing, reaching my hand towards him as I sang, "_Give me your hand!_" once again.

Eli grinned and placed his hand in mine, and I couldn't help but feel my breath hitch when he brought my hand up to his lips, pressing a soft kiss to it. Leaning over to rest my head on his shoulder, I finished singing the song as we sat there. He slipped his hand out of mine and slid it to my legs, placing it over my left thigh, caressing it softly.

"So… this song isn't _that_ bad," Eli said into my ear. I looked up at him to see the smirk playing at his lips. And as I opened my mouth to reply, Eli's eyes widened happily once they caught something in the distance, "Ooh, food!"

He turned and made his way into a small town, seeing a fast food restaurant. Once we were parked, Eli began searching his pockets, and I noticed the confused look on his face.

"Shit," he cursed. "I think I left my wallet in the back. Do you have yours?"

I nodded and reached into my bag to pull out my wallet, and as I pulled my hand out, my savings had fallen out. Before I could pick it back up, Eli's hand scooped down and picked up the large pile of bills. I looked at him hesitantly and noticed the shocked look on his face. I had told Eli that I had saved up money, but I may have left out how much.

"Clare," he gaped at me. "When you said you had some cash saved up I didn't think you meant _this_ much. This is all one-hundred dollar bills." He said as he flipped through the bills.

"Surprise?" I questioned as I shrugged my shoulders, looking at him uneasily.

When his eyes shot up to mine and he let out a small laugh, I could suddenly breathe again. "How long have you been planning this?"

"About a year," I responded.

Eli sat up straighter and looked at me softly, "For a whole year, you've thought about running away with me?"

"Is that weird?"

He smiled, "No."

I nodded and he handed me back the money. I placed it back in my bag before taking out a few bills from my wallet and hading them to him.

"I'll be back," he said before he climbed out of the hearse and made his way into the restaurant.

Once Eli came back he threw the delicious smelling bag in my lap before starting up the car and driving away. He pulled up to a gas station and got out to fill Morty up as I munched down on some fries. When he was finished and paid for the gas, he hopped back in the car and we drove off.

"Do you want to pull over so you can eat your burger?" I asked, noticing we would be leaving the small town very soon. Eli agreed and we pulled to the side before digging into our meals.

Once our burgers were nothing but a memory, we started driving again. We still had our fries left, and I knew that one burger did not fill Eli up, so I pulled out a few fries and reached up to hold them in front of Eli's face. He grinned – his eyes still on the road – before opening his mouth, letting me feed him. I repeated this action every time he asked for more, laughing when he playfully tried to bite my fingers.

I smiled as a familiar song began to play, and I looked up to see Eli smiling as well. Though this song was not in Eli's music group, in knew he still enjoyed it. And the fact that he opened his mouth to sing a long only proved my theory right.

"_I'm gonna spend the time with you that it takes to make you feel like you are the only one,"_ We both sang. But when Eli turned to look at me as he sang the next line, I couldn't stop the blood from rushing to my cheeks."_I'm gonna take my time to prove, you've got my attention, 'cause you are the only one,_"

He smiled at me, and instead of following the urge I had to kiss him, I said, "Eyes on the road."

Eli obliged and turned to watch the road ahead, though his lips moved as he sang along to the song. Realizing that there were only two fries left, I popped one in my mouth before holding the other to Eli's lips. He opened his mouth to give me access and as I placed the fry in his mouth, he clamped his lips around my fingers. I laughed as he sucked on my pointer before I pulled it out of his mouth.

And for the first time in my life, I took a risk and did something dangerous.

Grabbing Eli's chin in my hand, I turned his face towards me and pressed my lips to his, kissing him firmly and passionately. I could taste the salt from the fries on his lips, which mixed perfectly well with the taste of his tongue. Following the impulse I had, I bite his bottom lip and nibbled on it softly. Pulling away, I watched Eli quickly look back to the road ahead, his face flushed and mouth agape. The shock was evident on his face, and I couldn't help but smile to myself. The rush I felt while doing that was unexplainable, and a feeling I hope to feel again in the near future.

"I'm driving," Eli gasped as he glanced at me. His eyes were wide, and even if he didn't know it himself, I knew he enjoyed it. The way his lips twitched and his hands gripped the steering wheel as if his life depended on it proved that he was pleased with my outburst.

"I know," I replied, my hand reaching over to run my fingers through his hair.

Suddenly, he let out a breath or air and laughed. His arm extended towards me and wrapped around my waist, and I quickly undid my seatbelt before he pulled me towards him. Placing his lips to my temple, I smiled and closed my eyes. Wrapping his arm around my shoulders, I let myself lean into him, resting my head back. The music was still playing, though it was a different song.

Placing my hand on his inner thigh, I turned my head to brush my nose against his shoulder, breathing in his hypnotizing scent. Closing my eyes and lifting my head to look up at him, I whispered that he smelt good. His grip around me tightened as his lips curled, though he kept quiet; I didn't mind, though.

As we sat there, squished together as if we were nearly one person, I couldn't help but feel that the heavy weight of his arm on my shoulder felt… _nice_. The way he held me close subconsciously as he drove made me feel like I belonged right here, with him. Watching the street lights as they passed and Eli's fingers as they tapped against the steering wheel while he drove faster than I'm used to made me feel drunk. Feeling Eli's gaze on me every once and a while made me feel like I could do anything – like I could be someone other than the girl that gave up her life for her mess of a father.

And the way Eli's hand dangled just above my right breast made me shift in my seat as I squeezed my legs together.

Tonight is going to be a long night.

* * *

"Got the key," Eli said as he came back from getting a room in the small motel. He helped me take in the bags that carried our main necessities as we walked towards the door, locking Morty behind us. Once Eli got the door open I quickly walked into the warm room, sighing contently when I was out of the chilly night air. Eli closed the door behind us and dropped the bags on the ground, collapsing on the bed that lay in the middle of the room, digging his face in one of the pillows.

I grabbed my bag and as I walked by him, I slapped his butt, hearing him chuckle softly. I looked back at him as I made my way to the bathroom and he lifted his head, smirking at me.

"Kinky," he wiggled his eyebrows.

I laughed and rolled my eyes before entering the bathroom and beginning to change. It was really warm and because Eli and I were taking such a big step in our relationship by leaving and seeing where life takes us, I wanted to take a big step in our intimate lives. So, pulling on an over sized t-shirt, I looked at my pyjama pants in my bag before zipping it up and opening the door.

Stepping out of the bathroom, I noticed Eli lying on the bed, his eyes glued to the TV screen. He was dressed in only his boxers, which wasn't a surprise to me since he always did, but he never seizes to take my breath away. Dropping my bag to the floor, I held my breath as Eli looked up at me. His eyes immediately darted to my bare legs, and I watched his eyebrows arch.

I watched his Adams apple bob up and down in his throat as he swallowed, "Wh-where are your um… your pants?" I pointed to my bag and he let out a soft, "Oh."

I climbed into the bed beside him and snuck a glance at him. His teeth were tugging at his bottom lip as his fingers played with the hem of his boxers. I watched his eyes as they slowly scanned my bare legs, but frowned when he turned his attention back to the TV.

I sat there quietly for a while, thinking that maybe he would say something soon. Or at least try and start something between us. But he just sat there, watching TV. I huffed and reached over him to grab the remote before shutting the TV off. I turned my body and swung one leg over him before settling myself in his lap, my legs on either side of his. His eyes were wide as he looked up at me.

"I have been wearing nothing but this t-shirt and panties for about twenty minutes now and you still haven't said or done anything," I said with a frown.

He gulped, "I didn't know you wanted me to."

I fiddled with my fingers and avoided his gaze, "Do you not like me like this…?"

"What? No, oh god no, that is not it. You look fucking beautiful and…" he paused, his eyes skimming over my legs, "and _so_ sexy," he breathed.

I took a deep breath before I leaned forward, tilting his head up so I could kiss him. His lips were soft as they moved against mine, though his hands stayed by his sides. Placing my hands on his bare chest, I paused slightly when I felt how fast his heart was beating. Opening my eyes to look into his own, I noticed just how uneven his breathing was. Did I have this effect on him?

"Then touch me," I said softly, leaning down to place a kiss on his shoulder blade. His stomach muscles twitched under my fingertips, and I smiled, turning my head to place a kiss over his jugular vein.

"Really?" he asked in a whisper.

I nodded.

"Oh, fuck yes," he breathed before gripping my waist and flipping us over. I laughed. though it was cut off my Eli's eager lips. His hands gripped my face, his lips moving at a very fast pace. Eli pried my lips open with his own and I moaned when his tongue roamed my mouth. As he kissed me deeply, he removed one hand from my face and trailed it down my body, letting it rest on my right breast for a moment before continuing its journey south. My hand trailed up to the back of his head where my fingers threaded through his thick hair. I tugged and pulled on the strands as his hands roamed my body with a fiery passion. Circling my hips with his hands for a few minutes, he finally decided to cup my ass and suck my bottom lip into his warm mouth.

Moaning, I kissed him deeper as my hands rushed to pull him closer. My fingernails dug into his hips, and I could feel his excitement poking my leg. He removed his hands from my bottom and began roaming my flushed body.

Who knew getting this close with him would make me this excited?

I felt Eli's hand stop right before the hem of my shirt before he slipped it under and let his fingers roam my skin. I smiled and he removed his lips from mine to bring them down to my neck. His fingers slid across my skin, from hip bone to hip bone, and I wondered how long it would take him before he takes the next step. But when his fingers paused and he lifted his head to look at me softly with a question in his eyes, I smiled and cupped his cheek, nodding my reply.

Eli smiled back and pressed his lips to mine, once again. When I felt him press his fingers against my most sensitive area over my panties, I pulled him closer and held him tighter. Pushing my legs open with his free hand, he positioned himself between my legs, but instead of taking things further, he removed his hand and pressed his whole body to mine, pinning me to the bed. I parted my lips as he leaned down to kiss me, my tongue finding his immediately. The flutter in my stomach when I felt him pulse against my most sensitive area made me realize just how unready I was. I had no idea that getting so intimate with someone made you feel like this. There was so much emotion, and we haven't even taken any clothes off yet. I can't imagine what it's going to be like when we do go all the way.

Then suddenly, his fingers were sliding behind the material of my panties.

My fingers curled, and I dragged my fingernails down the back of his neck when I felt his fingers linger lower. And when he started circling my bundle of nerves with his thumb before adding pressure, I gripped the material of his boxers in my hand. I couldn't take it anymore. I broke the kiss and let my head fall back into the pillow when he began to move his fingers faster, my eyes fluttering shut as my mouth hung open. I soon found myself grinding my hips into his hand, and as he pressed a kiss to my neck I could feel the smirk on his lips. If I wasn't so concentrated on how he was making me feel I would have slapped him to stop his ego from growing.

"Baby," he whispered, and I made a noise as my reply, too busy turning to mush to actually form a sentence. "Tell me when you want me to stop, and I will."

I shook my head frantically, my hand reaching up to grip his arm as I opened my eyes to look into his. "Don't stop… just, don't stop."

He smirked.

And suddenly his middle finger was slipping inside of me. When he let out a soft groan and put more of his body weight on me, I could feel my lips tug up into a smile; he was enjoying this as much as I was – maybe even more. As his finger slipped in and out of me slowly and torturously, I couldn't help the noises that escaped my bruised lips. And as he sped up the pace, my body arched into his, my hands clutching the sheets, his hair, his back – anything in order to keep me from doing something totally embarrassing.

Then, he stopped.

My eyes snapped open to give him a bewildered look, silently asking him why the hell he would stop making me feel _so_ good. He pressed his lips to mine, as if that would make up for it. The one time I throw myself at him he decides to stop right in the middle of it.

"Do you trust me?"

"Eli, is this really the time to be talking about whether or not our relationship has trust issues?"

"No I mean – wait, do you think we need to have a talk about trust? Because I thought we were pretty good in that department…"

"Eli!"

"Right, sorry. Just answer the question, please," he said, his hand caressing my hip.

I looked at him softly, "Yes, Eli. I trust you."

He smiled, "Then let me make you feel really good."

I looked at him oddly, "You were doing pretty well until you stopped…"

"No. I mean really, _really_ good."

I looked at him and tilted my head slightly. He was looking at me with shinning eyes. I knew I could trust this man with my life, so I nodded and kissed him. Pulling away from the kiss he smiled at me before placing his lips to my neck, kissing my shoulder, my chest – every inch of skin he could find. But then he looked into my eyes and his hands began to slide up under my shirt, ghosting his fingers against my stomach. I arched my back and helped him remove my shirt, throwing it to the ground. Not even a second had passed before Eli's lips found the tops of my breasts, kissing them hungrily. His hands caressed my hips as his lips made their way south. My breathing hitched as I closed my eyes, letting the burning feeling of his kisses scar memories into my skin.

Eli hooked his fingers in my panties before sliding them down my legs slowly. Once they were completely removed, I bit my lip as I stared into his eyes. He hovered over my stomach, his eyes never leaving mine. I suddenly knew what he wanted. He wanted permission.

And so I nodded.

His eyes scanned down my exposed body before they landed on my most sacred area, and I held my breath. What if he didn't like what he saw? Was he judgemental in that way? Oh who am I kidding; Eli's never judged me, why would he start now?

And before I could control it, a loud moan escaped my lips when he slid his tongue between my lower lips. I slammed my hand over my mouth as my legs instinctively tried to shut, though Eli shot his hands up to keep them open. Wrapping one arm under my leg and over my waist to hold me down, Eli placed his other hand on the inside of my thigh, keeping my legs open.

"Eli," I moaned softly as he kissed and licked very inch of me.

"Hmm?" he hummed against me, and I clenched my teeth, suppressing a moan just dying to break through my clamped teeth.

He did wonders with his lips and tongue, and suddenly I couldn't focus on anything. My mind was fogged up with want while my body tingled with need. When he buried his tongue inside me, my hands shot to the back of his head, tugging and pulling, wanting more. My hips lifted instinctively against his face, though he didn't seem to mind.

Wrapping his lips around my bundle of nerves, I nearly lost it when he added a little suction. I felt his fingers join his mouth, and soon he had a finger buried inside of me once again as his tongue flicked over my clit repeatedly. I could feel something boiling in the pit of my stomach – something growing with every lick, every suck, and every pump of his fingers – just waiting to explode and shake me to my core.

I chanted Eli's name over and over again, my breathing heavy and uneven. Moaning was a second language that I suddenly knew so well. And with the last few thrusts of his fingers, I found my eyes rolling back, my toes curling, and my back arching clean off the bed as that feeling exploded and coursed through my veins. Eli's hand pressed firmly against my stomach, his mouth never stopping it's movements until my body had finished shaking.

Eli crawled up my body, trailing kisses up my heaving body until he reached my lips, though I couldn't respond to his gentle kiss. My chest heaved up and down as I breathed heavily, trying to come down from the high Eli had so nicely given me. My left hand reached up to move my sweaty hair out of my face while my right placed itself on Eli's chest.

"Why–" I paused to catch my breath, feeling Eli's fingers running up and down my arm. "Why the fuck didn't you tell me how amazing that would feel? If you had we probably could've gotten to fucking like rabbits by now."

Eli let out a laugh as he rolled to lie beside me, his arm wrapping around me. I turned to look at him, and blushed when he smiled at me. "All I want is to be with you, Clare. We don't have to do this all the time."

"Oh no," I pointed a finger at him, watching his eyes zero in on it. "We are going to be doing a lot more of that."

Eli cracked a grin with wide eyes, "And I'm completely okay with that."

I smiled and wrapped my arm around him, pulling myself closer to press my lips to his. Pulling back, I noticed he looked quite embarrassed, and I looked down, my eyebrows rising. Looking back up into his eyes, I slowly trailed my hand down his chest, but before I could reach his erected self behind his boxers, his hand had caught my wrist, stopping me.

"You don't need to," he said, looking down at my hand.

"I want to. If we're going to start doing foreplay then I think I should know how to pleasure you, also," I replied.

He pulled away from me and rolled off the bed, muttering, "Not tonight, okay."

I frowned as I watched him enter the bathroom before closing the door. I huffed and sat up, searching for my panties. When I found them I pulled them back on before climbing under the covers.

When he finally came back out and climbed into bed, I felt as if what had just happened had meant nothing. We finally took a step closer to sex and he rejects me like that? What is his problem?

Wrapping his arm around me, Eli pulled me closer to him, though I kept still, trying to ignore him. He sighed and placed his head on my neck, his fingers moving my hair away from my face.

"Please don't go to bed mad at me," he pleaded softly.

"I'm not mad," I replied.

"Liar," he responded.

I turned to look at him before I punched him in the chest, earning an odd look from him, followed by and, "Ow," as he rubbed the place I had hit.

"I'm not mad, Eli, I'm confused. You keep making a big deal about how we can never go all the way because we're not comfortable with each other's bodies. But when I let you do whatever you want to me, and I try to do the same to you, you reject me like I'm some disease. Explain that to me, please," my voice was stern, though I'm sure he could tell I was upset. It hurt to be rejected by the one person you would do anything for.

He frowned, "I'm sorry if I made you feel that way. I just… I wanted tonight to be about you. I'd feel bad if I took advantage of how you were feeling and used it for my own pleasure," he explained softly and I sighed as I turned to face him.

"That's all you had to say. But I wanted to do it, okay? It wasn't because of how you made me feel; it wasn't crazy sex hormones. It was me, wanting to be intimate with my boyfriend. So next time, please don't push me away," I said softly.

Eli smirked, "Trust me, I don' think I could ever do that again. I almost wanted to turn around and beg you to…" Eli cleared his throat when I raised my eyebrows. "I'll stop talking."

I smiled and leaned over to wrap my arm around his head and kiss him. "You're so lucky I love you."

Eli grinned, his eyes shinning, "That I am."


	4. This Is Home

**A/N: **I'm sorry that this chapter is shorter than the rest, but it had to end where it did. I hope you enjoy! : )

**PLEASE READ, PLEASE RAED, PLEASE READ: **kso, against my will, I am going on a family camping trip tomorrow until the beginning of September – blah, kill me now – so I am updating today (right now) and _**POSSIBLY**_ tomorrow morning, because I'll be away for five days. Then school will be starting up and everything and I'll just be too busy, so if I can update tomorrow, I'm hoping it'll keep you guys sane until I am free to write again. : ) But don't count on it because I'm not sure how much time I'll have in the morning to update.

**Also**, I'm just going to give a heads up. If you have listened to the song you would know that there's not really a happy ending to it. Just know that not _**everything**_ in the song will be happening in this story. I'm going to be changing things, obviously. So not everything will go along with the song; just the majority of it.

* * *

**Fast Car **

Chapter Four

"_You got a fast car  
And we go cruising to entertain ourselves,"_

* * *

_**Clare's POV**_

Entering the motel room, I sighed as I realized Eli was still passed out. I walked over and looked down at him, smiling when I noticed how he was positioned. His head was tilted to the side as he lay on his back, one of his legs sticking out of the sheets. His chest rose and fell softly, and I giggled when I noticed the small pool of drool on his pillow.

Climbing on top of him, I began to sing, "_On the road again – I Just can't wait to get on the road again._" Though I'm sure I sounded nothing like _Donkey_ off of _Shrek_, I giggled to myself, anyways.

Eli shifted, and I watched as he blinked multiple times before his beautiful eyes opened to look at me tiredly. "What?" he asked groggily.

I bit my lip; his sleepy voice is so sexy.

"Come on, its time to get up. We have to get on the road," I answered, pressing my chin to his chest. He closed his eyes again and rubbed the bridge of his nose, his face scrunching up as he did so. As he was busy waking up, I reached over and into the bag I had brought in. I grabbled two bottles, and I knew Eli wasn't going to like the smaller of the two.

"I got your pills from Morty," I explained softly, watching his arm drop on the bed. He stared at the ceiling for a bit as I took out a pill and held it in my palm.

"I forgot about my pills." He sounded a bit shocked, though his voice was laced with disappointment, and I hated knowing that it was towards himself.

"Well, it's a good thing you have me, then," I smiled at him.

Eli looked at me and sighed, "I'm sorry. You shouldn't have to do this."

I frowned and sat up in his lap, Eli following so our faces were mere inches away from touching.

"What do you mean?"

Eli looked at the sheets, "I feel like a five year old who has to take vitamins. You shouldn't have to look out for me like this. I'm not a kid – I should be able to take care of myself."

I sigh as I place the pill in his hand.

"Eli, forgetting to take your pills isn't a big deal. Just because I'm looking out for you doesn't mean that you're not taking care of yourself, because you are. You're eating healthy and working out and learning to keep your emotions in tact. You're making progress and in doing so, you are finding out who you really are," I say as I wrap my arms around his neck. He turns his head to look at the bottle of water I placed on the nightstand. "Besides, I happen to love who you are."

"A bipolar freak who has mental breakdowns and drives a hearse – oh yeah, I'm a real catch," Eli said with a fake grin. My hand reached up to lightly slap his cheek. He frowned and touched his cheek, "that was rude."

"Stop putting yourself down, Eli. I don't care about that stuff. I care about you and who you are and who I am when I'm with you. Now please, take your pill," I say as I shove the bottle of water in his face.

He takes the bottle and unscrews the cap, "You're too good for me, you know."

I blush and say nothing. Because in my mind, he's the one whose too good for _me_.

I burry my head into the crook of his neck as he takes his pill, chugging back the water afterwards. Eli's arm is wrapped around me, and we sit there for a few minutes. And so I place a kiss on his shoulder, and turn my head to place another on his neck.

"I love you – please don't forget that," I say as I lift my head to look into his eyes. He smiles a sad smile, and nods. I climb off of him and clap my hands, "Alright, now we have to go. Hurry up and get ready."

He groans and swings his legs over the edge of the bed. "Let me have a shower first," Eli stood up and turned his head to look at me with a sly smile and a raised eyebrow, "Would you like to join me?"

"I had a shower while you were sleeping," I say, and stick out my tongue.

"I could always get you dirty…"

"Eli," I warn.

He shrugs and turns to walk into the bathroom, "I had to try."

* * *

"Clare, do you have any idea as to where you would like to go?" Eli asks from the seat beside me.

We had been driving for a few hours now, and I understood where he was coming from with his question. But in all honesty, I had no idea. I just wanted to get away, and having Eli by my side made it all worth not knowing anything.

"I'll know when we get there," I reply.

Eli sighs. And the car gets silent for a few minutes. I turn my head and lift my hand to tangle it in his hair. He's too concentrated on something else to push me away, and I take that to my advantage. I trace his ear with my finger, and graze my nails over his neck softly. He shivers lightly and I feel my lip twitch.

"I'm going to trust you on this…" he says and I smile.

And so we keep driving, hoping that we'll find where we're going sooner than later.

* * *

The next day – after we leave a different motel – we decide stop in a little town for breakfast. The houses are beautiful and the weather is perfect. Everyone seems genuinely happy, and I wondered if it was just because of the atmosphere. As we stepped out of Morty, I smiled as the wind brushed through my curls, and took in a deep breath of the fresh air. It gets kind of stuffy in the car.

"I'm starving," Eli said as we stepped into the little restaurant. A waitress took us to our table and I took a glance at her name tag, which read _Katie_. Her hair was shoulder length and black, her bangs coming down just above her eyes. She smiled at us and handed us our menus before asking us what we would like to drink. After she had received our answers, she turned and walked away.

I turned to face Eli who already had his nose stuck in his menu. I watched him intently as he bite his lip in concentration as his eyes skimmed over the menu in his hand. The way his fingers tapped against the plastic on the pages intrigued me. The way his leg shook under the table made me wonder how he was feeling; was he anxious, nervous, hesitant? We still had no idea where we were headed and he put his trust in me, but I'm not so sure that that was a good idea. I don't even trust myself with this right now.

Looking at the distance between us, I realized just how much I was longing for his touch right now. And so, I reached over and softly grabbed his hand from the menu. He didn't look at me as I played with his fingers; he let me do as I pleased as he mouthed the words on the menu. But as I brought his hand to my lips and kissed it softly, his eyes lifted to look into mine. Giving me an odd look with his eyebrows pushed together, he smirked and tangled his fingers with mine.

"You've been awfully touchy lately. Are you okay?" he asked with his head tilted.

I hide behind my bangs and lean back in my seat, sliding my fingers out of his as I did so. "Yeah, I'm fine."

Truth is, I've been craving to touch him every chance I could get. Something changed the night we had gotten intimate, and now he's suddenly completely irresistible to me. I mean, he's always been so very attractive in my eyes, but now it was getting to the point where I wanted to rip his clothes off just to see his perfectly built body and kiss every inch of it.

I placed my head in my hands. What was happening to me?

"Ready to order?"

I look up to see the waitress named Katie, and I realize she and Eli are both staring at me expectantly. I order without knowing what I had even chosen and Eli orders after me. When Katie leaves, Eli leans over the table and looks at me, though he says nothing. I shrink back as he stares at me and I blink nervously. He's studying me, and I don't like it. Eli's a really good people reader, and unfortunately, he can read me like an open book.

He lifts his hand to place on his lips, and he opens his mouth to speak, though nothing comes out and he snaps it shut. Finally, he leans closer and raises an eyebrow, "Are you… horny?"

My face flushed up to my ears and I barked out a laugh, causing him to jump slightly. I covered my mouth and cleared my throat, realizing I completely gave myself away.

I shook my head. "No… I just… I kind of really want to touch you," I whispered, and it was his turn to blush.

Eli looked behind me and saw the girl Katie coming with our food. Turning back to me, he winked and whispered, "Later."

My eyes widened.

"Here we are!" Katie says cheerfully as she places our food on the table. "Is there anything else I can get you?"

Eli shakes his head and gives her a smile, and she nods and disappears into the small restaurant. He digs into his food and I finally snap back into reality, looking down at my plate. Looks like I had ordered a plate of pancakes. I pick up my fork and dig in, though I'm too concentrated on the fact that Eli's foot is playing with mine under the table.

Once we finished our meals, Katie came back to collect our dishes and bring us the bill. And as Eli is paying, I look outside and notice just how amazing this town looks. It feels so comforting and has a warm aroma to it that just makes me feel good. Turning back to Eli and Katie, I notice she's just about to walk away, I call out to her.

"Yes?" she asks politely.

"Um, what can you tell me about this town?" I ask, ignoring Eli's curious stare.

She taps her pen on her chin, "Hmm, well my boyfriend and I just recently moved here about six months ago, and I honestly love it. It's quite peaceful. Everyone is so nice and welcoming; I've made plenty of friends in no time."

I hum with a nod.

She smiles, "May I ask why?"

I look up at her, "Oh, I was just wondering. The town is beautiful."

Katie nods, "It is. But I do have to get back to work now. It was nice talking to you." She smiles and walks away, leaving me with Eli's questioning look.

I look out the window again, taking in everything Katie had said.

"I can see the wheels turning in your head, Clare. What's going on in that pretty little head of yours?" Eli asks.

I look at him and smile, "Nothing. Come on, let's go."

When we begin driving again, I watch as the town passes by. The houses fly by one by one, and I watch as little kids play in a playground behind a school. And when we turn down a street, I smile at all the nice houses. It was like this town was built to perfection.

Then, as we pass a certain white house with a brown rooftop and a _For Rent_ sign stuck in the grass, I open my mouth and yell, "Stop the car!"

The tires screech as the car comes to a halt, our bodies jerking in the process. Eli's heavy breathing was heard, but I didn't pay attention.

"What the _fuck_?" He asks loudly.

I ignore him and step out of the car. My eyes scan over every inch of the house and I listen as Eli opens his door and steps out. I can feel him staring at me from behind, his eyes burning a hole in the back of my head, but I pay no attention.

Because we are here.

"Clare, what the hell are you doing? What's going on?" Eli asks frantically from behind me.

I turn and look at him, noticing he is resting against his side of Morty, his arm lying on the top of the car. I smile and he gives me a look, telling me he is still waiting for an answer.

"This is it. This is the place. This is where I want to start my life with you, Eli," I say, the smile on my face growing with each word.

Eli raises his eyebrows and his lips tug up, "You mean…?" His eyes travel behind me and I watch as he studies the place. I wait, as he takes it all in. I could see how he loved it more with each passing second, and I knew what he thought before he even looked at me.

He runs over to wrap his arms around me and give me a kiss as I say, "This is our new home."


End file.
